BBC School Report gives young people aged 11-19 the chance to become a journalist for the day. Each year, students across the country team up to research and report the news on Live Day in March. This year, students from Year 7, 9 and our Sixth Form joined together to report the news. Our students created their own news bulletin, wrote feature articles, live new articles and to top it all off, a selection of our students had the chance to speak to BBC Radio Devon live on air to share their experience of the day. Many thanks to the following: BBC Radio Devon for inviting us in and interviewing our students; Plymouth Argyle FC for allowing our students to attend a press conference; the National Theatre and actors Thomas Dennis and Jasper William Cartwright for allowing our students to interview them. A great day was had by all.

Staff and students were really excited about their latest visitor to the school. James Lake, a Sculptor based in Exeter spent the day working with Year 9 Art students.

James works with cardboard and has done for the last 20 years, he believes that there are so many options with cardboard, strong, versatile and gives him so many options for his work. James is known and respected for manipulating cardboard to a form that is way beyond its original use.

James has had many commissions across the country including creating a Butler at the Gotham Hotel in Manchester and Hands at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, but today he was helping students to create three dimensional heads totally from cardboard, a workshop that both staff and students had been looking forward to for some months.

We would like to extend a warm welcome to you to attend the Year 8 Subject Parents’ Evening, during which you will have an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with subject teachers, as well as ask any questions about the GCSE course.

Last week Mrs Skingle’s year 7 class participated in a global video-conference with a school in Kuwait. The students were understandably nervous and excited in equal measure. Lots of preparation has taken place to practice good dialogue skills; including how to ask questions for deeper thinking and how to respond to questions articulately and thoughtfully.

Students led very interesting conversations; ranging from how Muslims worship, how the world came about and likes and dislikes in our communities. At one point, students were asked to think about the top three values students would like to see in the world. This led to fabulous dialogue and interesting conversations about the virtues of loyalty, compassion, respect, ambition and humour.

In the final reflection, lots of students from both schools talked about how the video-conference demonstrated that all human beings, no matter where they live in the world or their religious beliefs, we are all the same because we are human. All human beings feel, act and think and this should be celebrated, no matter if they are similar or different to our own values.

Friday January 26th saw the current Year11, 12 and 13 Art students make the annual pilgrimage to London to visit both Tate Modern and Tate Britain. As ever the long journey was well worthwhile as our students are given the opportunity to see some of the world’s most important pieces of art up close. The excited day trippers left school at 6am and returned just before midnight.

Welcome to the first newsletter from the Religious Studies Department. We would like to keep you as up to date on what is going on here as possible. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at school.

The Year 7 team would like to thank the Year 7 parents for supporting this wonderful event. Your hard work in helping students to craft gifts, and in attending on the night, meant that this was the most successful evening since we started the event seven years ago! The atmosphere was superb and the students were a credit to you all. We’re so thrilled to announce that the year group made an incredible £1874.18 profit in just one hour of trading – something we think even Lord Sugar would be proud of! This means the current Year 7 are the best year group to have ever taken part in the Sustainable Gifts Fair.

Since its start, the event has now raised over £10 000 for charity. In the New Year, the students will be tasked with researching local charities that help support people in our community. Previous awardees have been charities such as Jeremiah’s Journey, the Shekinah Mission, Hugs from Henry and local hospices. We will vote as a year group and will announce the winner before the end of January.

Once again, thank you for all your support and we would like to wish you all a peaceful Christmas.